Michael Jackson Merchandise Hearing

Michael Jackson Merchandise Hearing

8/17/2009 7:00 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

The lawyer for Michael Jackson's kids is set to appear in court for the first time today, as lawyers for the estate and Katherine Jackson's lawyers try to reach an agreement on merchandising all things Michael.

UPDATE 7:10 PM -- And we're done for the day. Biggest headline -- the judge has approved a major Jackson merchandising deal, but there is still one more deal (with AEG for a Jackson memorabilia tour) to be decided upon.

UPDATE 7:03 PM -- The judge has set an evidentiary hearing for Friday -- so the AEG deal won't be approved (or denied) until then.

UPDATE 6:45 PM -- An attorney for AEG says the company wants the deal taken care of this week.

UPDATE 6:41 PM -- And we're back on the record.

UPDATE 6:34 PM -- The judge has ordered a short recess in the hopes all sides can reach an agreement on the AEG deal today.
UPDATE 6:32 PM -- The lawyer representing Jackson's kids isn't sure the AEG deal is the best deal out there.

UPDATE 6:24 PM -- One of the lawyers for the special administrators is worried that if the AEG deal isn't approved soon, AEG will pull it off the table.

UPDATE 6:15 PM -- All parties involved continue to express the time constraint they are under -- everyone wants the deals done ASAP.

UPDATE 6:10 PM -- The attorney for the kids just said she is not objecting the AEG deal.

UPDATE 6:05 PM -- An attorney for Katherine just suggested the lawyers for estate have pulled the guardian ad litem towards their side.

UPDATE 5:58 PM -- The deal with Bravado, to produce various different kinds of Jackson memorabilia, has been approved. This deal will generate millions of dollars for the Jackson estate.

UPDATE 5:50 PM -- Howard Weitzman, the attorney for the special administrators, has stated that one of the beneficiaries approves the AEG deal (to put on a Jackson memorabilia tour), but one is against it. We've been hearing Katherine is not happy about the arrangement, so she is probably the one who has objected.

UPDATE 5:35 PM -- The judge has set a tentative date (September 9) to hear Katherine's safe harbor petition. What that means is that Katherine wants to file an objection to the special administrators, but doesn't want to do so if it would be considered protesting the will. Jackson's will contains a no-contest clause -- meaning anyone who challenges it loses their inheritance rights.

UPDATE 5:30 PM -- The judge said that if it weren't for Katherine Jackson's procedural posturing, both parties would not have to spend as much time in court.

UPDATE 5:13 PM -- The judge said he agrees with Lodise -- there needs to be a simpler process put in place so the special administrators of Jackson's estate don't have to go before the judge to do every single thing.UPDATE 5:11 PM -- The judge wants to come up with a trial date for Katherine Jackson's objection to the permanent appointment of the special administrators.

UPDATE 5:10 PM -- Margaret Lodise, the guardian ad litem for Jackson's kids, has submitted a report to the court.

UPDATE 4:57 PM -- The lawyers are getting into place.

UPDATE 4:47 PM -- Claire Elisabeth Fields Cruise, the woman who claims to be the bio mom of MJ's kids, is in the courtroom. Let the fun begin!